as in spectators
someone who sees or watches something
bystanders rushed to help the victim of the mugging
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Recent Examples of bystanders
Numerous bystanders called 911 to report the collision, and one man saw Sweet crawling out of the passenger side of his vehicle, according to the affidavit.
—
Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 5 Jan. 2026
Officers arrived on scene to find bystanders providing aid to a Chuang, the driver of the 2021 Tesla.
—Elissa Jorgensen, Dallas Morning News, 5 Jan. 2026
While officers prepared a kayak for a rescue, the bystanders were able to get a rope to the man who then used it to pull himself all the way out of the water.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
Similar crashes cross city limits Wednesday’s crash mirrors the circumstances of two other crashes in recent memory in which bystanders were killed as Independence police chased vehicles into Kansas City.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 2 Jan. 2026
The Hammonton Fire Department has asked bystanders to avoid the area while emergency services respond to the incident.
—Gordon Ebanks, CNN Money, 28 Dec. 2025
Two different bystanders, identified as Boris and Sofia Gurman, were seen on video confronting a gunman before the shooting began at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
The shooting occurred outside a Safeway location near Golden Gate Park, sending bystanders into panic.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
In other angles, bystanders reacted.
—Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 5 Jan. 2026
Officers arrived on scene to find bystanders providing aid to a Chuang, the driver of the 2021 Tesla.
—Elissa Jorgensen, Dallas Morning News, 5 Jan. 2026
While officers prepared a kayak for a rescue, the bystanders were able to get a rope to the man who then used it to pull himself all the way out of the water.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
Similar crashes cross city limits Wednesday’s crash mirrors the circumstances of two other crashes in recent memory in which bystanders were killed as Independence police chased vehicles into Kansas City.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 2 Jan. 2026
The Hammonton Fire Department has asked bystanders to avoid the area while emergency services respond to the incident.
—Gordon Ebanks, CNN Money, 28 Dec. 2025
Two different bystanders, identified as Boris and Sofia Gurman, were seen on video confronting a gunman before the shooting began at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
The shooting occurred outside a Safeway location near Golden Gate Park, sending bystanders into panic.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
In other angles, bystanders reacted.
—Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bystanders
Noun
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After a moment of silence, some spectators shouted out, condemning ICE’s presence in Minneapolis.—
Julia Ainsley,
NBC news,
9 Jan. 2026
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The safety and security of athletes and spectators remains the top priority of LA28 organizers, a spokesperson for the upcoming games said in an email.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But videos captured by other observers and members of the public show an ICE agent approaching a Honda Pilot that was stopped on a snowy road and ordering the driver — later identified as Good — to open the door before grabbing the handle.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Federal agents have been taking in several protesters and observers.—
Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The video quickly went viral, reaching over 2 million views with many viewers assuming the image was authentic.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
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Footage of the shooting has divided viewers, with finger-pointing over who was the aggressor and who was the victim.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bystanders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bystanders. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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